reCAPTCHA in WP comments form
by jmviade · Security
Also makes 1 other plugin · 8.0K+ installs across the portfolio →
reCAPTCHA in WP comments form is an ANTISPAM tool that adds a Google reCAPTCHA to the comments form and protects your site from the spam robots threat …
45 health vs 64 average across 997 Security plugins
High removal-risk signals
63/100Maintenance and integrity signals that tend to precede a WordPress.org removal. Not an official status, a heads-up to act.
- Long abandoned. No update in 7+ years — the top precursor to removal once a vulnerability is found.
- Compatibility drift. Tested only up to WordPress 5.1.24, well behind 6.8.
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Under-optimized
Biggest win: Update recency
To rank higher: Last updated 2686 days ago — ship an update; wp.org decays a listing's search weight after ~180 days.
Get the full rank-higher report →Daily downloads
Since 2022-10-05 · 1,424 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peaks are release surges
246
now · peak 497
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
No release in a yearHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
0
releases in the last 12 months
7.4y ago
latest release · v9.1.2
11
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 98% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “8K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Refined from the date this plugin crossed into its current band.
Install history · since 2016-10-21 · 1,431 observations
Estimated value
What this plugin might earn a year, and what it might sell for. Modeled from public signals; we don't see anyone's books.
Est. annual revenue
Est. acquisition value
No paid tier is visible, so we don't put a figure on revenue or sale value: that would be guessing. The install base is a real asset to an acquirer, just not one public data lets us price. A small install base leaves thin data to model from.
Details
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ IT_Architect3.6y ago
It does not work. When you hit the button, it gives a green check and passes everyone.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ elikattoura5.6y ago
Tested on WordPress 5.6 and it worked perfectly fine
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Rik5.7y ago
not working, the captcha wont appear and comments will be put into spam folder automatically after configuration is complete. support questions in the last 2 years are unanswered as well, as we can see here. Wouldn’t bother with this plugin . This topic was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Rik.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Anonymous6.0y ago
I’ve used this plugin for a few years and it worked great – until WP 5.5 when it caused the comments ‘submit’ button on my blog and theme to cease working. I’ve now deactivated it and found an alternative plugin and my readers can now post comments again.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ gertrudew6.2y ago
Nice, simple and very helpful recaptcha!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ intellectminds16.8y ago
Hello, I have integrated this plugin to my site but it is not working on Chrome Browser but it works well on Firefox. Any help on this issue? Thanks
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ cahardy7.0y ago
Hope this gets fixed; currently unusable.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ briannie7.1y ago
This is very disappointing on two counts. I have a client whose website is being bombarded by bots and so, on that basis, I installed this reCaptcha plugin. Unfortunately I can’t get it to work – it could well be me but that’s disappointment 1. Disappointment 2 is that it’s now Two days and 13 hours since very politely asking for help and no response. In the meantime my client gets more and more concerned. I can wait no longer so plugin deleted and another solution found where reCaptcha works beautifully. Looking back through the reviews I see some as old as a year and no help given so I guess with this author that’s just par for the course. Sad really!
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 9.1.2 Update error correction 9.1.2
- — Version 9.1.1 Correction admin URL in ajax calls for non standard wp installations Tested up wp 5.1.1 Also tested with theme Twenty Nineteen 9.1.1
- — Version 9.1.0 New plugin settings for supporting different WP comments form HTML structure types Adding javascript methods based on HTML queries (instead of just ID attributes) for inserting reCAPTCHA plugin Improving dynamic comments 9.1.0
- — Version 9.0.3 Adapt the plugin to new google error messages contents to avoid fake falses because of Google adds a new error for any “duplicated test” Change the plugin versioning schema to 0.0.x.y.z to x.y.z for improving Composer or 9.0.3
- — Version 0.0.9.0 Upload error correction 0.0.9.0
- — Version 0.0.9 New installation Wizard when you install the plugin from scratch Also automatic Installation Wizard launch when no reCAPTCHA API keys detected New visual dinamic interface for Google reCAPTCHA settings configuration New 0.0.9
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 7.2.16 · WP 5.3
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 5 languages, 0 at 90% or more
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-03-25 9K+ → 8K+ down after 247 days in tier
- 2025-07-21 10K+ → 9K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-07-20 9K+ → 10K+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2025-07-17 10K+ → 9K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2025-07-16 9K+ → 10K+ up after 3 days in tier
- 2025-07-13 10K+ → 9K+ down
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
reCaptcha by BestWebSoft 100K+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags A -
CAPTCHA 4WP – Antispam CAPTCHA solution for WordPress 100K+ installs · 3.2★ · 2 shared tags B -
hCaptcha for WP 70K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags A
-
Friendly Captcha for WordPress 10K+ installs · 3.9★ · 2 shared tags B - G GG Infucaptcha reCaptcha for Infusionsoft 40+ installs · 4.1★ · 2 shared tags D
-
VisualWP Cloudflare Turnstile – Easy Anti-Spam alternative to CAPTCHA 20+ installs · 3.6★ · 2 shared tags B
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for reCAPTCHA in WP comments form into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/recaptcha-in-wp-comments-form" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="reCAPTCHA in WP comments form — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> reCAPTCHA in WP comments form: 8K+ active installs, 4.1★ (20 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-08-29. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/recaptcha-in-wp-comments-form